Save Indian Family

Save Indian Family (SIF) claims to be an umbrella organization for Men's rights movement in India. It was formed in 2005 by the unification of a number of Men's rights organizations across India.[1] It is claimed that the movement has grown to over 100,000 members in past 10 years, consisting mainly of victims of misuse of Dowry law in India. There are over 50 NGOs around the globe as part of this movement and no single NGO can claim SIF as their own. This men's rights movement promotes, associates with formation of various NGOs, which intend to work for Men's welfare and want the word Men/Women replaced by gender equal word like Person and Husband/Wife by Spouse in any Government law/policy[2]

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It is considered that the first Indian Men Rights movement was started by Ram Prakash Chugh in Delhi in the early 1980s but it took a bigger shape in form of Save Indian Family Movement (SIF) when a number of Men's rights organizations and NGOs came together to voice out their concern against gender biased laws.[3] SIF started promoting and associating itself with more and more non-profit humanitarian organization/NGOs[4] across India to promote gender-equal laws and to stop the misuse of gender-biased laws.[5]

Save Indian Family Foundation claims that many men are victims of false anti-dowry cases because their wives wanted an independent, separate residence, away from the husband's parents home.[6] Some would claim to be harassed or beaten by their wives.[7]

Over 9,000 husbands and their relatives (10 per cent of the total jail population) were languishing in Uttar Pradesh prisons under the provisions of the Act in 2010.[8]

Save Family Foundation,[9] a member NGO under SIF, complained against a Kitply plywood commercial to Advertising Standards Council of India. The ad showed a wife slapping her husband on her wedding day because of a creaking bed. The complaint alleged that the ad promoted violence against men by portraying it as funny. Swarup Sarkar said that violence against women draws strong reactions, but violence against men on public television is ignored.[10]

On 14 August 2014, Sankei News, just before the official visit of the Indian Prime Minister, Mr. Narendra Modi to Japan, carried an article on the misuse of Rape Laws of India and the role of Save Indian Family in helping those who are falsely accused in such cases.[11]

Save Indian Family organised its annual event, 6th National Meet at Hotel Clarks Shiraz, Agra from 14 to 16 August 2014. The event witnessed 40 NGOs and over 140 Activists of Men's Rights in India representing and discussing the issues & steps for the Future.[12] 6th Annual Meet raised the expectations from the Men's Rights Activists as the Work of the complete movement of previous year were discussed and shared in a very informative Video.[13]

31 August 2014, Save Indian Family's article talking about Misuse of Dowry Harassment Law, IPC 498A, was published on all English Editions of Hindustan Times as an 'Analysis' article.[14]

It was on 12 April 2014, Save Indian Family, stepped into the future when it launched first ever Single Number Helpline in India. "SIF One", named Helpline started with IVR based calls which give options to victims of gender based law's misuse to reach to SIF's counselors anytime. The Helpline, SIF One, is supported by more than 70 counselors, who help victims free of cost and motivate them to fight for Justice. The IVR also gives details of Free Weekly Meetings in main locations where victims can go and meet the counselors. On the same day, Save Indian Family also launched its own free Mobile Application, namely, SIF One App.[15] SIF One App is available for free download on Google Playstore and can be downloaded by any Android user.[16]

The Save Indian Family, a men's rights NGO, launched the first ever helpline for men harassed at home and received 24,000 SOS calls in its first 120 days.[17]

SIF one has received more than 25,000 calls in five months from its launch while APP has witnessed more than 5000 downloads.[18]

After getting a favorable response for the helpline for Men in Distress service in Bangalore, Chandigarh, Chennai, Delhi, Hyderabad, Kolkata and Mumbai, Save Indian Family's Ahmedabad chapter started the helpline.[19] Bhopal Against Injustice, BHAI, a forum for abused men was launched by Save Indian Family in Bhopal in July, 2014[20]

Highlighting the rise of incidence of married men committing suicide in India, Kumar V. Jahgirdar, President of Child Rights Initiative for Shared Parenting (CRISP) has demanded a National Commission for Men to look into the problems of married men. Swarup Sarkar, Founder Member, Save Family Foundation-Delhi, has asked for a law to check misuse of IPC Section 498(A) and Domestic Violence act.[21] Amit Lakhani, executive member, has been demanding to make Section IPC 498A bailable, with dowry related cases making to over 3000 in 2013.[22] They also claim that due to "gender-biased" laws in India, one married man commits suicide every nine minutes in the country.[23]

Stop misuse of Family laws in India: SIFF says that because IPC section 498A, Dowry prohibition act, IPC section 406 are non-bailable, non-compoundable and cognizable offenses, they are "impacting the fabric of family in India and creating Legal Terrorism"[26] in India.

Formation of Men’s Welfare Ministry and National Commission of MEN[27] An Indian Police Services officer, Amitabh Thakur, filed a writ Petition at Allahabad High Court for creating a men's commission to specifically look after men oriented issues and problems.[28][29]